


Anthousai

by SinpaiCasanova



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Accents, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Courting Rituals, Dark Magic, Drinking, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Ireland, Lesbian Character, M/M, Middle Ages, Nudity, Nymphs & Dryads, Period-Typical Homophobia, Sexual Content, Violence, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-03 18:57:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 18,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14002479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinpaiCasanova/pseuds/SinpaiCasanova
Summary: The lush hills of Ireland, a beautiful and serene place. It's home to many mythical creatures, one of which is a flower Nymph named Sèan. He's a curious and playful creature, but when a ship sinks off the coast of the Aran Islands, his curiosity for a certain dark haired man consumes him.





	1. Chapter 1

The cold wind whipped across the deck of a large ship, the sky was an ominous shade of gray with distant rumbles of thunder, a bad sign for a sailor, some would say.

"Mother nature seems angry today, don't you think Mark?" Bob, a tall man with curly chestnut hair, clapped a hand on the shoulder of the raven haired sailor. The sky cracked with thunder, lighting up the dark clouds with a bolt of distant lighting. Mark sighed, anxiety lacing his words as he responded.

"Yeah, she's really talkin." Mark's deep brown eyes looked up with concern, a storm would prove difficult to make it to their destination. It's been eight long months that they've been at sea, working for a trading company that deals in spices and foreign materials. They were currently on their way back to England, the ship full of spices and other trinkets from Spain. The sea beneath them was rough and choppy, already rocking the ship slightly as they approached the storm in the distance. 

"So, do you have a wife waiting for you back home?"  Bob inquired, trying to pass the time with small talk. Mark shook his head, he wasn't exactly attracted to women. But admitting that would be extremely dangerous, seeing how homosexuality was against the King's laws. Most were put to death for their 'crimes', in barbaric spectacles for public entertainment. In the fifteenth century, homosexual behavior between men resulted in castration on the first offense, dismemberment on the second, and burning at the steak on the third. Lesbian behavior was punished with specific dismemberments for the first two offenses and burning on the third as well. So, it was common knowledge to keep that type of secret from absolutely everyone, lest you wanted to end up being a eunuch or worse. As they neared the storm, the faint outline of mountains and cliffs came into view. The lush green landscape was something he'd never seen before. It was so beautiful and serene that he almost forgot about the impending danger around him.

"Where are we exactly?" Mark kept his eyes locked on the mass of land, marveling at its beauty.

"Ireland most likely. I think that's Inishmore   over there. It's part of the Aran Islands."

Bob shrugged, unsure if he should say anything else about it. The hills of Ireland were home to demons and mythical creatures that lived in the forests and marshes, or so the locals would have you believe. They often spun tales of Nymphs that lived near the coast, beautiful creatures that couldn't die of old age or illness, ones they believed to be immortal and could commune with nature. Bob didn't believe in those stories though, after all, they were only told to children to make them behave, or so he thought.

"I've never been there before. Have you?" Mark asked, his eyes returning to the threatening sky above them as heavy rain began to fall, saturating his white shirt until it was practically see through. Bob nodded, recalling the time he and Wade thought they saw a witch hiding in the forest. It turned out to be just a local healer, but Wade wasn't convinced. He almost had the poor girl killed from his ridiculous accusations. 

"Only once. We didn't stay long, Wade got spooked by a healer and thought she was a witch." He chuckled, walking with Mark to the edge of the ship to look closer at the green mass of land as they slowly passed it. The sky was a violent shade of black, the sunlight blocked out with angry bursts of thunder and lightning. The tall waves licked at the hull of the ship, shifting it harshly as they sailed into the thick of the storm. 

"Maybe we should move below deck, it's getting rough out here." Bob suggested, already backing away from the edge. Mark went to speak but was cut off by the loud crack of splitting wood. The ship crashed into part of the cliffside that fell into the sea sometime ago. Mark was flung off the side of the ship, tumbling into the sea below from the force of the impact. His body smacked into the sea, the speed of his fall making the water feel like a solid sheet of blue ice as he plunged down deeper. His vision blurred and blackened as he sank down into the sea, his lungs sucking in the water as he panicked. Before his vision faded, a bright green blur grabbed him and pulled him up to the surface of the water. As the storm raged on around him, he could faintly hear the crackling of a fire. Lightning had struck the ship, igniting it like a firework. The barrels of spices combusted  below deck, setting the whole ship ablaze. Mark didn't know if anyone survived, his mind was clouded as the green blur pulled him up onto the shore and leaned over him.  
His mouth was covered by a soft pair of lips, blowing into his clogged airways. Mark's lungs expelled the burning sea water as he took in a shakey gasp of air. His vision faded as he began to black out, the last thing he heard was a sweet Irish voice whispering to him. 

"Don't be afriad, you're going to be alright."

Mark's world faded to black, the melodic voice dancing in his head as he slipped into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POV change for pretty much the rest of the book. First person point of view activate!  
> *Mark's POV*

I slowly came back to consciousness, at first the only thing that I could clearly make out, was the sound of someone singing. Although it would dip in and out as I slowly came back.

"A stor mo chroi when you're far away  
from the home you will soon be leaving.."

I opened my eyes, only slightly at first. My vision was still blurry, but I could see a figure standing close to me. The singing sounded like it was coming from them. It was beautiful and had the most intoxicating accent intertwined with his voice. In and out, my consciousness faded then sharpened.

"It's many's the time by night and by day when your heart will be sorely grieving.."

My eyes fell shut again, letting my other senses catch up to me. It was warm, like I was close to a fire. The soft crackling of the flames coupled with the angelic voice singing in the background made me feel relaxed. Where was I? Wasn't I on the ship earlier? I can't remember...

"For the stranger's land may be bright and fair. Rich in its treasures golden.  
but you'll pine I know for days long ago. and the one that is never olden."

My eyes opened again, my vision doubled and blurred as my eyes adjusted to being used once more. As my vision cleared, I could make out the shape of the person next to me. He was small, a little shorter than I was. I don't think he noticed that I was awake, he kept on singing and stirring something what was in the pot over the fire. 

"A stor mo chroi in the stranger's land, there is plenty of wealth and wailing. Where gems adorn the great and the grand where the faces with hunger paling.."

Suddenly, my senses cleared and I could feel the soft bedding I was laying on. He glanced my way, smiling when he saw that my eyes were open. He came closer, standing over me so I could see him better.

"Oh, You're back laddie." I've never been one for accents, but his is one that I'd like to hear for the rest of my life. As my eyes took in his features, I couldn't believe just how fair he was. His eyes were the stunning color of the shimmering ocean, his skin pale and flawless like ivory, and his hair was sea foam green on the top with brownish gray coloring down the sides and back of his head. A person like that can't be real, he's too perfect.

"Am I dead?" I croaked, my voice dry and cracked from lack of use. He giggled, pulling his pink lips back in a breathtaking smile.

"No. Thanks to me you're not anyways."

"If I'm still alive, then why is there an angel standing over me?" I wasn't trying to hit on him, it just came out that way. He blushed, the light pink pigment brushing his cheekbones. 

"I'm not an angel, I'm an anthousai." He said matter of factly.

"A what?" I questioned, I've never heard of that before. He looked off at nothing in particular, and I could see the slightly pointed tips of his ears. 

"Well, Ma always called me a flower child, but I'm a nymph. What are you? You don't look like a demon or a nymph."

His eyes scanned my body, and it was at that moment I realized I was naked. My lower half was covered by the blankets thankfully, but it didn't leave much up for the imagination. I sat up in a panic, clutching the blanket close to me as if that would make me feel better.

"Where am i?" He backed away a little, giving me some space but remaining close. It was like he was fascinated by me, curious maybe?

"In my hut, I built it meself. Impressive isn't it?"  
He had his hands on his curvy hips, looking quite proud of himself. There wasn't much to It, just a handsewn mattress on the floor and a wooden table and chairs that looked hand made as well. A few vegetables and herbs were strewn about on the table in messy piles. There was a small fireplace with a pot hanging over It, the contents inside bubbling and steaming.

"There's not much here.."

"Well I don't need much. It's just me anyhow." He sighed, handing me some white cotton clothes that weren't mine. What even happened to my clothes anyways? I remember talking to Bob on the ship and a storm...then it hit me. I was saved by someone when I fell over the side. Someone with green hair.

"Wait..that was you..In the water. You saved me." I breathed, trying to come to terms with what happened. Was I the only survivor? He smiled, inching closer to me as he sat crossleged on the floor.

"Sure did. I like watching the ships go by, and when I saw you fall into the water, I jumped in after ya. You've been asleep for awhile, was startin' ta think you were gonna pass on, so I acted."

"What do you mean, you acted?" I asked hesitantly, unsure if I really wanted to know. He shrugged, like this was something as common as breathing. 

"I healed you." He reached out to cup my hand in his. He lightly blew into my palm, creating a blinding light that healed the cut I had across my skin. The light died down, replaced with a small purple flower resting against my palm. Holy shit..

"Can't you do those types of things?" He asked, taking note of my wide eyes and look of bewilderment. I shook my head, feeling a little light headed as I sat back, propping myself up on my elbow.

"N-no. What are you?" He smiled, handing me the flower he created in my palm.

"I told ya, I'm a flower nymph." My vision blurred again and his smile fell as I hit the mattress with a soft thud. He scoffed and rolled his eyes as I sank back down into unconsciousness.

"Oh shite, there he goes again."


	3. Chapter 3

When I came to, I was still laying in his bed, but he was gone. The flower he created was laying next to my head on the handsewn pillow. The fire was still burning, providing the only source of light in the small hut. I sat up, slowly removing the blanket as my feet touched the dirt floor. The clothes he left for me were still there, neatly folded on the end of the bed. I stood up, trying to steady my shaking legs as I pulled on the soft cotton pants. They fit nicely, most likely hand made by him, it seems he makes almost everything himself from what I could see. I picked up the white shirt, feeling the soft material between my fingers. The wooden door to his hut quietly opened, he walked in, eyes locked on the floor, carrying a basket of what looked like berries in his hand. I smiled, the soft glow of the fire made him look that much more angelic. I still didn't know what the hell a flower nymph was, or if anyone aboard that ship survived other than myself, but I was grateful to be alive. He glanced up, his ocean blue eyes lighting up once he saw me. 

"Back are we? You plannin' on stickin' around this time or are ya gonna leave me by meself again?" He teased, winking at me as he set the basket down on the table. I chuckled, hiding my face with my hands once I remembered that I fainted in front of him. Real smooth Mark.

"Sorry about that, I just didn't expect you to do something like that. I've never seen real magic before."

"Magic? Don't you have healers where you're from?" He seemed a bit confused, like what he was able to do wasn't something to make a fuss over. I nodded, following him with my eyes as he started chopping up random herbs on the table.

"We do, but they don't use magic. They use herbs and medicine. If they were able to do what you did, they'd be burned as a witch."

I tried not to flinch from the look he gave me, but it seemed my last statement triggered something in him. Maybe he lost someone to a witch trial? They were extremely common, with most accused ending up as a pile of ashes, whether there was evidence against them or not. People were terrified of the devil, and looked for him in everything and anyone. One girl was burned simply because her shoes didn't get wet when she walked across a puddle. Poor thing. He narrowed his eyes at me, his blue orbs smoldering as they locked with mine.

"I'm not a witch. You'd do well to remember that laddie." His tone was cold, but he still kept a warm feel about him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." I looked down at my hands, feeling like an idiot. He saved my life and I practically insulted him. He walked over to me, crouching down and lifting my face with his fingertips. Our eye met, melting together in a stunning mix of sapphire and hazelnut. God, he's so beautiful. He smiled at me, never taking his eyes off of mine.

"We're havin' a bit of a gathering tonight. Would you wanna come?"

"What kind of gathering?" I asked, my mind stupidly going back to the thought of witches. He giggled, seeming to read my mind.

"Not that kind of gathering. It's to give thanks to nature for sustaining us through the winter. Come with me, I'd love for the others to meet you." 

I smirked at the thought of meeting more than one of his kind, he seems so fascinating and different than anyone I've ever met. I nodded, watching his face break out into a breathtaking smile. He rose to his feet, pulling me up from the mattress as he did so. There was a palpable tension between us, like a weird kind of attraction that made the air between us thicker. I had the overwhelming urge to touch him, to feel his soft skin against mine. The look in his eyes told me he might be thinking the same thing too, but we never did. He turned, grabbing a clay jug and whatever was boiling in the pot on the fire. 

"Well come on, they're waiting for us down by the spring. Oh, and it's a bit nippy out so you might wanna put a shirt on." He playfully winked at me, giggling at the blush that stained my cheeks. I quickly threw on my shirt, following behind him closely as we made our way into the woods. It was dark out, the only light being the stars shinning above us. This place was gorgeous, untouched by invaders or colonists.   
"So, what's your name lad?" He called from over his shoulder, his thick accent turning my knees into jelly. 

"Mark Fischbach." I said, unsure why I had to add in my last name. He might not know what a sur name is, now that I think of it.

"Mark aye? Well I'm Sèan, but me Ma used to call me Jack." The way my name rolled off of his tongue, coated in that wonderful accent, sent a shiver up my spine. 

"Why Jack? seems a bit odd to me." 

"Well it would be since you're not an Irishman. Sèan is another name for John and another name for John is Jack. It's a bit confusing to an outlander like yourself, but you'll catch on eventually." 

I could see the glow of a fire next to a clear spring, about six others were there. Two women and four men. Jack picked up his pace, beaming at the sight in front of him. They were all dancing around the fire, singing some Irish folk song I've never heard before. One of them had blue hair, meaning he must be a nymph like Jack was. As we approached them I could clearly see piles of fruit and bread set out on a blanket by the spring. One of the women, a petite blonde dressed in a short sea foam green dress, skipped over to us, a shorter brunette beauty dressed in lavender, following behind her.

"Who's this Jacky?" The blonde inquired, looking at me with an excited curiosity. The brunette was watching me closely, circling me like a hawk. Jack smiled, handing her the clay jug as he pulled me closer.

"Amy, this is Mark. He's an outlander."  
Her brown eyes lit up, smiling as she grabbed the brunette by the arm.

"Signe! Look, it's a outlander!"   
Signe smiled shyly at me, burying her face into Amy's neck as she played with her hair. Jack sighed, starting to walk toward the others as we followed behind him.

"Don't mind that one, she's a wee bit shy." He said, setting the pot down on the blanket as the girls went back to talk to the others. The boy with bright blue hair came closer, wrapping Jack in a tight hug as he kissed his cheek. My heart broke a small bit at the display of affection. Jack pulled away, his eyes following the three other men that approached me.

"Mark this is my brother Ethan." The blue haired boy waved at me, standing next to a tall man with curly brown hair.  
"That's Tyler, he doesn't say much. Behind you is Felix and Cry. The one with the mask is Cry." Jack pointed to a blonde haired man with strong features holding hands with a brunette with a white mask hiding his face. Cry waved, Felix only seemed to be interested in what was in the clay jug though. 

"Now that everyone is acquainted, we should start, yeah? The group nodded, taking their places around the fire in a circle. I stood on the side, watching as they danced and sang. Their movements were graceful and beautiful, their voices melting together in a gentle harmony. The melody softly soaring through the atmosphere. My eyes were on Jack though, the way he moved as if no one else was watching. He seemed so carefree and wild. It was a sight that made my heart flutter, and at that moment, I felt like I was home.


	4. Chapter 4

The fire burned brightly as the group danced and swayed to a song I couldn't understand. Gaelic is a beautiful language, but I don't speak it. Bright colors began pouring out of the smoke the fire was making, shades of pink and purple swirled as their movements became faster and more dramatic. My eyes widened, taking in the strange sight with slight disbelief. Their graceful movements slowed, eventually coming to a stop as their song ended and the fire flickered back to a reddish orange. Jack locked eyes with me from across the fire, a seductive glint shimmering in his ocean blue eyes. I swallowed thickly, unsure what he was thinking as he stared at me, but to my surprise, he slowly walked towards the blanket and grabbed the clay jug next to me. He held it up to his lips, taking a sip of whatever was in there. A small bit of dark purple liquid ran down the side of his mouth, and I had the weirded urge to lick it off. What the hell is wrong with me? I don't even know him that well..but still.

"Would ya like some? It's blackberry wine, I made it meself." He handed me the jug, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. I smiled, bringing it to my lips as I sipped the homemade liquid. My eyes almost rolled into the back of my head from how tart and sweet it was. My tongue was so confused, unsure what to make of it, all I knew was it was fucking delicious. I softly groaned as I handed him back the jug, swallowing the wine and immediately wanting more.

"It's good, yeah?" He asked with a smile, giggling as Felix came skipping over to steal the jug from his hands.

"It's fucking amazing." I exclaimed, quickly covering my mouth when I realized I just cursed in front of him.

"Don't be embarrassed lad, I have a bit of a sailors tongue meself." He leaned closer to me, nudging me with his elbow. I chuckled, trying to will away the blush that spread across my cheeks. God dammit, I'm so awkward around him. 

He sat down in front of the fire, tearing off a piece of bread and shoving it in his mouth. The others had already started eating and drinking, with Felix hogging the wine and not exactly sharing with anyone else. Cry smacked his arm, saying something to him in Gaelic, making him groan and pass the jug around to someone else. Jack patted the spot next to him, smiling as I sat crossleged in the spot he wanted me to. He handed me some bread and quickly got up to laddel me a bowl full of whatever was in the pot. He handed it to me, the mouthwatering aroma wafting in my face.

"It's Irish stew, mostly just rabbit, onions, and water with a bit of herbs, but sometimes the simple things are the best types of things." He dipped his bread in my bowl, stealing a bite of the broth with a wink. He's so playful, almost like he's just a big kid.

"Although there's a few among us that don't care for it.." He shot a mischevious glare across the fire towards Signe and Amy. Signe scoffed, popping a raspberry into her mouth as Amy snapped back at him.  
"Well some of us have respect for the creatures of the forest. How would you like it if someone tried to eat you?" Without even missing a beat, Jack fired back at her.

"Well that depends on what part of me they're trying to eat." He winked at me, making me choke on my own spit. Amy's jaw hung open, covering Signe's ears with her hands. 

"Ní os comhair an Jacky daonna!" She scolded, running her thin fingers through Signe's chestnut hair while the others laughed at Jack's joke.

"What?! You can make those typea jokes but I can't? Well that's a buncha boohawk!" He snapped at her, shaking his head. I leaned over to him, confused as to what she said to him.

"What did she say?" 

"She said, 'not in front of the human Jacky'. She's afraid I'll scare ya off with me crude humor." He rolled his eyes, looking down at the food in his lap before stuffing his cheeks again. If he was hinting at what I think he was, maybe I should just ask instead of assuming. I hesitantly leaned closer to his ear, whispering so I wouldn't embarrass him or myself.

"Pardon my asking, but are you..you know..gay?" Oh, please say yes..

"I donno, I don't really consider meself one way or the other. I kinda just do whatever feels right. But I haven't met a lassie that could handle me yet."

"You mean put up with you?" Felix teased, leaning his head on Cry's shoulder. Jack narrowed his eyes, throwing a chunk of food at him.

"What about you? You're pretty hard to figure out." He asked, ignoring the comments Felix was making across the way. I shrugged, unsure if I should even say it. It's been so ingrained in my mind to deny that part of me out of fear. I've never actually indulged in those urges, but after spending eight long months at sea with a bunch of sweaty, horny men, I was close to my snapping point. I looked up at him, not seeing a speck of judgement in his eyes. I sighed, edging closer to the metaphorical precipice I was about to fall into. And without another thought about it, I took a leap of faith, hoping he would be there to catch me before I hit the ground.

"I prefer the company of a man. I've never actually been attracted to women." I muttered, feeling shame wash over me like a tidal wave. He smiled at me, taking my hand in his and lacing our fingers together. I loved the feeling of his hand in mine, it just felt right.

"I'm proud of ya laddie, I could tell you were fighting with yourself on that one. But you need not be afraid of me, I'm not gonna hurt ya."


	5. Chapter 5

As the night dragged on, we drank more than originally anticipated. Jack had to make a run back to his hut to grab more since Felix practically inhaled what he brought with him. But I will say that his wine packs a strong punch. I wasn't feeling it until I stood up, almost falling on top of Jack who was drunk out of his mind. The rest of the group wasn't any better though, the girls were dancing with each other next to the fire, in a rather sensual way. Felix and Cry headed back into the woods to do God knows what, but I had a feeling what it could be. Tyler and Ethan were passed out on the blanket, cuddled up in each others arms, which leaves just Jack and I as the only single people here. Jack decided it was a good idea to try and dance next to the fire, apparently unaware of just how drunk he was. But as he started to sway his hips to a song only he could hear, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He had his back to me, slowly swaying his curvy hips to the beat in his head. 

The glow of the fire lit up his skin in delicious shades of yellow and red, slightly illuminating the outline of his legs against the white fabric of his pants. It didn't leave much up for the imagination, the material was almost see through in this light. I felt a little odd watching him, the atmosphere was thick with sexual tension, with pretty much everyone else here indulging in it but me. He spun around, beckoning me to join him by the fire. The look he was giving me made me feel a little dizzy, this was the most erotic display I've ever seen, which makes me look a little sheltered. Trust me I'm not. I slowly stood, trying not to fall over as I walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around my neck, swaying to the non existent melody as I slid my hands around his narrow waist. This was torture, I couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling and I didn't want to take advantage of him in this state we were in. I wanted it to be consensual, if he even wanted anything like that while he was sober. This is probably just the wine talking. His usual pale completion had a rosy tint to it and his eyes were glazed over in a way that made them look like glass. He looked breathtaking, which made this all the more difficult to keep a safe distance. He tilted his head to the side, staring at me with this odd expression. He grabbed my hand, placing a soft kiss on my palm, holding his lips there for a moment as something pink quickly formed against my skin. He looked up at me, releasing my hand to let me see what he did. Sitting in my hand was a small pink rose. I stared at it, wondering what this gesture meant to him. But before I could ask he took off towards the spring. He stripped off his clothing and dove in without a second thought. His head poked out of the clear water, giving me a mischevious grin as he motioned for me to come closer. I did, moving towards the edge of the water and leaning down over it. He reached up, grabbing me by my shirt and pulling me in with him. The water wasn't nearly as cold as I thought it would be, but it was cold enough for me to shriek once I came back up to the surface. He giggled at me, splashing me as I tried to adjust to the temperature. 

"You're so uptight Mark, loosen up a little." He teased, swimming over to me to wrap his slender arms around my neck again. I sighed, relaxing my muscles as my body got used to the water. He pulled off my soaking wet shirt, tossing it on the grass next to the spring. I was trying not to do anything stupid, I didn't want to end up sleeping with him or upsetting him if I made a move and he wasn't comfortable with it. His eyes were hooded, sparkling in the light the moon was casting. I could feel myself getting lost in them. I didn't even notice that I was leaning forward until my forehead rested against his.   
Don't do anything stupid..  
Please don't do anything stupid, Mark!  
He started to close his eyes, leaning forward a little. My eyes began to close as well, throwing in the towel as I lost the battle I was waging with my conscious.  
And then..

Splash! 

A small wave of water crashed into us as Felix and Cry dove in next to us. His spell over me was broken as he swam towards the edge and climbed up. He pulled on his pants and sat by the fire, looking lost in thought. I knew I shouldn't have done that..


	6. Chapter 6

I lifted myself out of the water, leaving my shirt where he threw it. I sat down next to him, unsure what to even say, if I should say anything at all. He glanced over at me, giving me a small smile. 

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked, confused as to why he was acting so strange all of a sudden. He shook his head, reaching for the half empty jug of wine and taking a sip.

"No, why would ya think that? I was just cold is all." He was lying, I could tell by the way his mouth smiled but his eyes didn't. Something was bothering him and he was trying like hell to avoid talking about it. I furrowed my brows, narrowing my eyes at him. 

"Jack, if I did something you can tell me."  I pushed the subject a little further, hoping to get him to open up about it. I can't fix it if I don't know what I did. He took another sip, filling his cheeks with more wine as he shook his head. I sighed, he's a stubborn little shit. I snatched the jug out of his hands, taking a drink myself as we sat in silence. The only noise being the crackling of the fire and the soft snores of Ethan and Tyler. I almost forgot they were still here. The girls were gone, and so were Felix and Cry. I didn't even hear them leave, being too focused on Jack and what he's trying to hide. He's hard to figure out, as soon as you think you know how he is, he changes. We spent the rest of the evening getting even more drunk as he swept the fact that we almost kissed under the rug. It's like it never even happened, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••○••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Ok tough stuff, try a right hook. Bob your fist and mean it. Put it right here." I held up my hand, crouching as he narrowed his eyes and cocked his fist back. He was perched on his knees, drunk, and stupidly asked me to teach him how to fight. I was just as drunk so I agreed. We had nothing better to do and he seemed eager, plus the wine was very persuasive. He squinted his eyes, wobbling a little as he tried to focus on my hand.

"Mean it!" He threw his fist forward, smacking into my cupped hand with enough force to spin him around as he fell backwards into my arms. He giggled, reaching for the jug to take another drink.

"Ok. I think that's enough."

I sat him up, gently taking the now empty jug out of his hands, setting it down on the blanket where Ethan was laying next to Tyler.

"Unlike my brother, I know when to say no." He slurred, his accent becoming even thicker as his body swayed a little.

"Yeah, sure you do." I mumbled, chuckling at how cute he was like this. For an Irishman, he doesn't handle alcohol very well. I guess the stereotype is wrong in his case.

"What exactly is a nymph?" I asked. As intoxicated as we were, I was still a little more sober than he was. He gave me a lopsided smile, scooting closer to me as he spun a tale of Greek Gods and how they came to be a living personification of nature. Though most nymphs are female, a select few are born male. Him and his brother Ethan were created from nature rather than being birthed the old fashioned way, and his mother was a human that found them while she was gathering berries to make wine. 

"What about the others? Are they flower nymphs as well?" I asked, captivated by his story. 

"No. I'm the only flower nymph here. Ethan is a Pegaeae, a water nymph that lives near springs. He can commune with the creatures of the sea. The girls are Dryades, tree nymphs that protect the forest and it's creatures. Felix and Cry are both Hesperides, celestial nymphs that control the sunrise and sunset. Tyler is the only human here besides you. He's a witch that lived out here in the forest that was gifted with immortality." Jack's face fell, staring at the couple passed out next to us. 

"It gets awfully lonely out here though, everyone has somebody but me." He laughed bitterly as he looked down at the ground. He bit his lip, hesitating before asking the question he's been trying to avoid.

"How old do you think I am?" He quietly asked, eyes trailing up to lock on mine. That's a bit of an odd question, but I wanted to see where he was going with this, so I answered.

"About twenty three?" He shook his head, softly chuckling as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Well you're half right." He said, still keeping his eyes on mine. I was a little confused, how could I be half right about his age? 

"I'm over four hundred years old, Mark.." My brain was desperately trying to process what he said, how is that possible?

"Nymphs like me, are gifted with the power ta stop aging. I stopped somewhere around my early twentys, so you're half right about how old I am. I won't die of old age, and because I have the ability to heal, I can't get sick. I've never had an illness or injury in my life, but I've seen what it does to a humans body. You see what I'm trying ta say?" 

I furrowed my brows, shaking my head as the overload of information clouded my mind. His blue eyes were glistening with tears, and I could tell he was close to breaking down. I gently cupped his cheek in my hand, trying to comfort him even though I was having a difficult time processing this. His hand slid over top of mine, his face leaning into my touch. 

"I can't get close to you, even though I want to, because I know that one day I'll have to watch you get sick and waste away or slowly wither and die of old age. I can't do that again Mark."

"Then why did you save me?"

"Because I saw you standing by the railing before you fell, and I don't know what came over me but I dove in after ya. You captivated me before I even knew you. You're handsome, sweet, and I hate the way you make me feel, because I know that one day I'll have to let you go." 


	7. Chapter 7

My eyes fluttered open, immediately feeling the warmth of another body pressed up against me as I woke up. The sunlight peaked over the treetops, shining down on the sleeping form next to me. Jack was pressed up against my chest, sleeping peacefully as we layed on the blanket next to the fire that had long since died out. Jack's vibrant hair was directly underneath my nose, filling my senses with the sweet aroma of lavender and lilacs, without even thinking about it, I drew him closer to me. His scent was so intoxicating, filling my head with visions of us together. I closed my eyes, sighing at the though of what it might be like. I felt him stir, tighting his grip on me as he snuggled into my chest. This was heavenly, I could lay here with him in my arms for the rest of my days, and I wouldn't have wasted a single second of my life doing it. My hands trailed down his back, lightly touching his soft skin with my fingertips. He shuddered, goosebumps forming on his arms as the tiny hairs stood up. I continued running my fingers down his back, listening to the string of soft moans pouring from his lips. So he likes it gentle, I'll have to remember that if this ever goes any further. That's doubtful though, he made it clear last night that he wouldn't do that, I mean we haven't even kissed yet. I'm getting way ahead of myself, slow down Mark..  
His eyes slowly opened, staring up at me with confusion. I froze, tensing up as he lifted himself off of me. We were both shirtless, laying on the blanket next to the fire so we never made it back home. I'm not even sure how we ended up snuggled up like this, but I wasn't complaining. He looked at me, his blue eyes raking over my exposed torso as he swallowed hard. What was he thinking? His hand reached out, softly touching my chest as he leaned closer. Is this really happening, or am I  dreaming? I leaned into his touch, my skin drinking up the feeling of his fingers brushing against me. I'm not sure how it happened, or even why it happened, but he leaned forward, cupping my cheeks with his hands. The next thing I felt was a pair of soft lips pressed against mine, his lips tasted just as sweet as I thought they would. A wonderful mix of honey and sugar lingered on my tongue as I kissed back, wrapping him in my arms. The kiss was sweet and gentle at first, but rapidly grew into a hungry and intense passion filled kiss. Our lips clashed against each others, mixing with harsh bites and colliding tongues. This can't actually be happening right now, it feels too perfect to be real. Or maybe that's just how he actually feels against me, like something out of a dream. I pushed him onto his back, my hands finding their way into his hair while his roamed my back, occasionally scratching his nails downward and leaving delicious red marks behind. His long legs wrapped around my waist, holding me close as his hips moved in a rhythm that made me see stars. His body feels so good against mine, almost like I was made for him. As I lost myself in the sensation, I couldn't focus on anything else but him. But then even that became hard to feel, eventually I couldn't feel him at all. My eyes snapped open, looking at the empty space underneath me where he should've been. Shit, this was a dream. And that's all it ever would be, just a love sick fantasy. When I actually woke up, I was laying on his mattress, alone. The immediate throbbing of a headache set in, so much for drinking all night. I knew I'd get a hangover, and this one was nasty. I groaned, slowly sitting up as he came in from outside.  
"Mornin'! How're ya feelin?" He sounded way too chipper to be as hung over as I was. Could he even get a hangover? Probably not.  
"Morning." I croaked, fighting back the intense feeling of nausea that traveled up my throat. That wasn't the only reason I was in such a shitty mood, my own brain  teased me with a dream I couldn't tell was fake until I was balls deep in it. He smiled, handing me a cup of something green. I cringed, the thought of putting anything into my mouth made me want to vomit.

"It'll help shift that hangover. Besides I'll need your help cleaning up that mess on the beach. Ethan's havin' a bit of a fit about it and can't do it alone, so I offered to help. I may have roped you into it was well." He giggled, shoving the cup into my hand and  smiling widely at me as I took a sip. It tasted like grass, but I choked it down as best as I could. I handed him back the cup, pulling the sheets back so I could stand up. I wasn't feeling as shitty, whatever magic juice he gave me was already having a positive effect on my body.  
"You seem a bit disappointed, is it what I said last night?" He asked, furrowing his brows as he came closer. I nodded, just for the sake of saving myself the embarrassment. He sighed, grabbing my shoulders so I could face him.  
"I know I shouldn't do this, but what the hell..." He grabbed my face, smashing his lips on mine.


	8. Chapter 8

His lips met mine, and for a moment I forgot how to breathe. My head swam in the sweet flavor of his lips, honey and sugar, just like in my dream. He pulled away, sapphire eyes hooded and glazed over. 

"You have no idea how long I've wanted ta do that. I'm trying ta stay away, but you make it so damn hard on me." He breathed, pressing his forehead against mine as my hands rested on his hips. I didn't know what to say, I was still reeling from that kiss. He sighed, turning to the table to pop a blackberry in his mouth. I arched my eyebrow, suddenly a hell of a lot more confident.

"Don't I get any breakfast?" I asked, my tone husky and suggestive. He smirked, picking up another berry and placing it between his lips. He grabbed the back of my neck, gently placing his lips over top of mine, pushing the blackberry in my mouth with his tongue. He pulled back a little, giggling at how red my face had become. I had heard that nymphs were these overly sexual creatures, luring men and women into their arms just to have their way with them. It's how the term 'nymphomaniac' came about, so there must be some truth in that right? But I don't want to rush things with him, and if it ever came down to that, I'd want him to initiate it. Something about the way he acts tells me he's not shy in bed.  
He rolled his eyes, catching me deep in thought again, good thing he couldn't tell exactly what I was thinking. 

"As much as I'd love ta spend the day in bed with ya, Ethan and Tyler are waitin' fer us. Eat up, and let's get a move on. Besides, we have all night to taste each other." He winked at me and I had to force myself not to choke on my food. God damn, Jack..

We ate in silence, the tension so thick between us, it was almost suffocating. I couldn't get that kiss out of my head, and worse, what he said about tonight. Was he serious, or just teasing me? I guess there's only one way to find out. As we made our way to the beach, the putrid scent of something rotting filled my nose. The closer we got to the ship, the stronger it got. Then I remembered, there were over two dozen men aboard that ship the night it crashed into the cliffs. It's a miracle I even survived, if it weren't for Jack, I'd be dead, just like them. I smiled at him, making a mental note to properly thank him for that later. Ethan and Tyler were already hard at work, clearing the beach of the debris and unfortunately, the dead. There wasn't much that could be done about the actual ship, but everything else that washed ashore had to be taken care of. We spent hours piling up wood and different charred trinkets from the ships hull. One thing in particular that caught my eye was a green necklace. The emerald gem meant for the queen of England, but I knew of someone else that deserved it more that she ever did. I'd wait until tonight to give it to him, now didn't exactly seem appropriate. As we worked, my eyes gazed upon the remains of many of my shipmates, people I had to live with for the past eight months. Bob, Wade, Captain Morrison.. all dead. The bodies were burnt, basically the only way to rid the beach of them. It seemed a little disrespectful, where I'm from, you were given a proper burial, but here I guess it's different. As the sun set, we had ventured to a part of the island I had never been to before. It was surrounded with thick trees and red flowers. But the closer we got, the more the air thickened. Tyler had a look about him that screamed fear. The part of the forest we were near, had an unusual darkness and a heavy aura about it. 

"Jack?" I asked, watching Ethan pull Tyler aside as he started shaking. Jack hummed in response, his calm demeanor shifting once he saw what I was looking at.

"What's in this part of the forest?" I already had a clue what it could be, the atmosphere it held reaked of death and suffering. Jack sighed, his blue eyes wide with fear.  
"Mark, ya have to promise me that ya won't ever set foot in those woods." Jack's tone held a serious warning. This was a place of intense torment and suffering, you could feel it permeate deep into your bones.

"I promise Jack." 

"Those woods are home to Dorcha, a demon that preys on the souls of humans and nymphs alike. We don't go there, not even the girls will come near it."

"Is that what's got Tyler so upset?" Tyler was clutching onto Ethan tightly as they moved further away from the woods. He seemed to be in physical pain the closer he got to it. Jack nodded, taking my hand as we headed back to his hut.

"Tyler met Ethan about two hundred years ago, he was about twenty-five and was already a very gifted witch. When he fell in love with my brother, he did something that caused him ta stop aging. He won't talk about it, he won't even tell Ethan what he did. All I know is that he goes in those woods once every six months and comes out covered in blood. It's unsettling ta say the least, but I know it has something to do with Dorcha." He pushed open the door, grabbing a pair of fresh clothing for us before closing it. We headed back down to the forest, slipping inside the mouth of a small cave. The inside was lit up with torches, painting the walls in deep shades of orange.

"What are we doing here?" I looked around, spotting a pool of water in the center of the cave.  
"Havin' a bath ya silly." He pulled off his shirt, tossing it in a pile next to him before removing his pants as well. He just stood there, waiting for me to do something, but I was too caught up in the way his body looked. He smirked, sauntering over to me and grabbing the hem of my shirt and pulling it up over my head. He tossed it in the pile next to us, his thin fingers hooking under the waistband of my pants before pulling them down. His eyes raked all over me, widening when they came across my lower half.  
"By Jaysus Mark, what're ya feedin' that thing?" I blushed, suddenly feeling insecure. He pressed himself up against me, wrapping me up in his arms as he kissed my lips.


	9. Chapter 9

Jack pressed his soft lips against mine, the warmth of his bare body against my skin sends a shiver though me. My hands find their way to his hips, rubbing soothing circles in the muscles of his lower back. My fingertips press into his skin, digging my nails into the soft velvet of it underneath. His lips move against mine with a hunger I've never felt before, it all but consumes me as I melt deeper into his touch. He pulls me closer, pressing his hips flush against mine. I gasp as he begins to move, grinding against me slowly, creating a delicious amount of friction between us. The kiss turns into an intense battle for dominance, our tongues moving against the others, searching for a weak spot. My teeth graze his bottom lip, inciting a moan from deep inside his chest. Surprisingly, I won. He let me claim his mouth, wrapping his slender arms around my waist to draw me closer as his hips continued to move against mine. The scene was passionate and needy, even though it had only been a few days, I felt like we were meant to be together. I've never met anyone that could set my heart on fire like he does, he's perfect in every way. From his stunning sapphire eyes, to his bright sea foam green hair, his thick Irish accent that coats his words in sweet honey, his porcelain skin that's just begging to be marked. I could go on for hours listing off the things I find irresistible about him, but the one that stands out the most is his kind heart. He's a gentle soul, playful in nature and sweeter than sugar. I move down to his pale neck, nipping and kissing the sensitive skin underneath my lips. His breaths came in short and shakey pants as he trembled under my touch. He squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip, arching his back as my teeth gently bit down on his collar bone.   
"Jack, let me hear you. It's only us, alone together." My deep voice whispered in his ear, goosebumps forming on his arms as he shivered. For once I wasn't being the shy one, he seemed nervous doing this with me. I cupped his chin, bringing his eyes up to meet mine. Warm chestnut melted with ocean blue, and for a moment, he was the only thing that existed in my world. He grabbed my hand, leading me to the pool of water behind us. I expected it to be cold, but it was actually really warm. It must be a natural hot spring, which makes sense as to why he'd come here to bathe. The water flowed over my shoulders as we sank deeper into it, the warm water soothed and relaxed my tense muscles, drawing me even more into the mood. He smiled, wrapping his arms around my neck, lifting himself up to wrap his legs around my waist. My hands instinctively grabbed the back of his thighs, holding him up as the water in the pool sloshed around us. 

"Jack, are you sure? We don't have to If-" He shut me up by kissing me roughly, grabbing my hand and trailing it down to his entrance. My finger traced the tight ring of muscle, slowly pushing in as I stretched him the way I needed to. He was an absolute mess, panting and shaking as I withdrew my fingers. My hand went back to his thigh, holding him up as he angled himself, then slowly lowered down onto my aching desire. I screwed my eyes shut, getting lost in his warmth as he lifted himself up and down on me. His heels dug into the small of my back as he bounced in the water. He whined, attacking my lips again as he sped up, the water sloshing and spilling out of the pool the quicker he moved.  
"L-look at me." He breathed, forcing my eyes to open. He looked so gorgeous, staring at me with hooded eyes clouded with desire. I could get lost in the way he looked, the way he felt against me. His thighs were shaking violently, his movements faltering as he neared his release. I moved my hands closer to his ass, gripping tightly as I pushed him over the edge. He threw his head back, silently screaming as I bucked my hips up into him quickly. It didn't take much for him to come undone, with me following behind him as he tensed up, riding waves of intense ecstasy as he released, pushing me right along with him. I felt intimately connected to him, in both body and spirit, and I wondered for a second if I had found my soul mate. It only took one look from him to cement the answer into my heart. He was mine and I was his. But there's a problem in that revelation. I'm still a mortal, I get sick, I'll eventually die and leave him alone in this world. The thought alone kills me, but if Tyler found a way to eternal youth, maybe I could too. I had to try, I needed to for Jack.


	10. Chapter 10

It had been a few weeks since Jack and I were intimate, and our bond has only grown and strengthened since then. The way I feel about him is more than just a lustful desire for his body. Lust fades, passion dies, but love always remains. I didn't think it was possible to fall for someone in such a short amount of time, but that was before I knew Sèan. He's the light of my life, my weakness I never knew I had, my reason for living. I love the way the glow of the fire lights up his pale skin, how soft and smooth it feels under my fingertips as I stroke his back. 

This is as close to heaven as I can ever hope to get. He's laying on my chest, his warm, bare body pressed up against mine. His leg is draped over my waist, tightly holding onto me as I run my fingers down his back. The blankets barely cover us as we let the warmth from the fire wrap around our bare bodies. I'm content and drunk off his scent, that intoxicating lavender and lilac that radiates off of his skin. The light rain taps against the roof of his hut, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

"Mark?" Jack's sweet voice pulls me out of my thoughts. His head is laying against my chest, his body soaking up the affection I'm showering him with.

"Yes, love?"

"Tell me you won't leave me. Even if it's a lie, I just need ta hear it." He sounded so sad, his mind weighed down by constant thoughts of our inevitable parting. Mine was too, it's all I seem to think about lately.

"Why would I lie about that? I'm not going anywhere, unless you send me away." I lightly run my fingers down his spine, watching him shiver at my touch. He sighs, lifting his head to look at me.

"I'd love ta believe that, but I know it's not true."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I know one day you'll die, and I'll have ta be there to see it. It haunts me when I look at you, knowing that you won't stay this way forever." His blue eyes are brimming with tears, trying not to let them spill. He likes to act stronger than he really is, only crying when he deems it necessary. My fingers lift his chin, locking his eyes with mine. 

"Sèan, I wish I could live forever. It kills me to know that I'll eventually have to leave you. I'd do whatever it took to stay here with you." 

"Just tell me you will. I just wanna hear ya say it." I sigh, bringing him closer to capture his lips in a gentle kiss. Sometimes actions like this speak louder than anything I could possibly say. But if he needs to hear me say it, then I'll lie, just this once.

"I'm not going anywhere baby. I'd rather die than leave you." He smiles, kissing me once again as he snuggled into my chest. My arms wrap around him tightly, almost like he'd disappear if I ever let him go. As the night went on, the rain fell in heavy drops against the roof of the hut, lulling him to sleep. I remained awake, the guilt of that lie consuming my mind. I kept thinking about Tyler, and what Jack said about the demon of the forest. I couldn't get Tyler to tell me what he did, but then again, he never even told Ethan, so I'm not surprised that he shut me out about it. I know it has something to do with that forest, and the demon that lives there. I have to try, and now is the only time I can go, since Jack is with me during the day. I slowly roll him off of me, covering him up with the blanket as I stand and pull on some clothing. Jack happens to be a very heavy sleeper, an earthquake couldn't even wake him up. I just hope he stays asleep, at least until I return. I throw on a black cloak, pulling the hood up as I venture out into the rain. It felt like hours before I reached the forest, the telltale aura of death saturating the air around me as I stepped inside. It felt like I had crossed some sort of invisible barrier, the environment around me seemed to change the further inward I went. As I reached a clearing, I heard a deep chuckle echo around me. Something was here with me, something evil.

"You're either very foolish or very brave, I'm sensing the latter." It sneered, it's voice sounding like it was right next to my ear. I swallowed thickly, pushing back my fear as I spoke.

"You're Dorcha aren't you?" It laughed, a dark figure emerged from behind the trees. I couldn't see what it looked like, it was cloaked like I was, the dark hood covering most of it's face from the small amount of light the moon provided. What I could see though, were long claws adorning all ten of it's fingers, a set of fangs poking out from behind a pair of dark gray lips, and a deep set of piercing red eyes.

"Curious are we? What is it you desire? I can give you anything..Mark." The figure hovered off of the ground, circling me like a vulture. I could practically hear the smirk on its face. But when it said my name, my heart sank.  
"How-"

"I know alot about you, outlander. How very bold you are, sleeping with a nymph like Sèan." It chuckled, running a clawed finger down my cheek. My protective instinct over Jack overrid my common sense.

"You leave Sèan out of this!" I snapped, immediately regretting that I said that. It growled in an animalistic way, it's red eyes flashing as it came closer to my face. The smell coming off of this thing was strong enough to make me gag, it was like a putrid cinnamon sticking to its gray skin.

"You're in no position to make threats boy, this is my forest. But, I could grant you your deepest desire, a long life with the one you love, eternal youth..for a price." It smiled, showing off its sharp teeth. I flinched, reeling back from the unsettling sight.

"W-what do you want?" I asked, my voice breaking from anxiety. It grabbed my chin, drawing close to my ear. I could feel it's cold breath ghosting against my neck. I shivered as it dragged it's cold tongue up my cheek, licking the shell of my ear.

"You know what I want."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact; Dorcha means Dark in Gaelic

He pulled back his hood, revealing his face to me. He looked very similar to me, only his skin was ashen and gray, and his hair was jet black on the sides with what looked like blood mixed into the top. It gave it a grisly deep red tint to it in the dim lighting of the moon. 

"My soul?" I responded to his question, hoping I was wrong. He smiled, sensing the fear in my voice. I shook my head, there had to be something else I could give him. He laughed at my obvious distress, his feet touching the ground as he stood in front of me.

"You make it sound so important, I'm offering you the chance of a lifetime and you're worried about one little soul?"

"If it's so insignificant then why do you want it so badly?" I snapped, straightening myself to stand tall. He smiled widely at me, licking his lips.

"Ooh, such a clever wit. I can see we're gonna get along famously." 

I furrowed my brows, watching as his hands  formed a ball of light in front of him.

"Just imagine it Mark, an eternity of youth and love with him. You'll never have to be apart." His voice was deep and seductive, lulling me into a strange state as the ball of light formed into Sèan. I couldn't tell if it was actually him or not, but when he kissed me, my mind was made up. 

"Please Mark, stay with me forever. I don't wanna be alone anymore!" 

He was crying, begging and pleading me to do whatever it took to stay with him forever. While I was distracted by Sèan, a red mist swirled around me, filling my head with a sweet scent, Sèan's scent. My mind became foggy and jumbled, unable to distinguish between what was real and what wasn't. Sèan was as real as I was at that moment, and I would do anything to make him happy again. He was on his knees, clutching onto my legs as he cried. My heart broke at the sight, I was causing him so much pain and I had to make it stop. I kneeled down, cupping his chin in my hand as I wiped away his tears.

"Please don't cry baby. I'll do whatever you want me to, just tell me and it's yours!" I cooed, showering him with affection. His eyes glistened with tears as he looked at me.

"Give Dorcha what he wants, it's the only way we can be together. Please Mark! Don't  you love me? Am I not enough for you?!"

Sèan eyes had a red tint to them now, glowing with a menacing aura that I could see but for some reason didn't pay any mind to. My focus was strictly on the pain etched into his features, pain that I caused.

"No! You're more than enough! Baby, I love you more than life itself! I'd do anything to make you happy." I cupped his face, drawing him up into a passionate kiss. He pulled away, completely calm and emotionless.

"Then give me your soul." His voice was deep and icy, chilling me to the bone. The sweet scent of lavender and lilac filled my senses, fogging up my mind even more.  Without even thinking I nodded my head.

"Y-yes, you can have it. Anything for you Sèan. I just want to make you happy." I leaned in, pressing my lips to his, but the warmth of his kiss soon faded as my lips rested against something cold. My eyes flew open to see that Sèan was gone, in his place was Dorcha. I pulled back, disgusted at the fact that I was kissing him and not Sèan. He smiled, licking the blood off of his lips. I frowned, feeling something wet trickle down my chin. My fingers touched my chin, pulling away with a crimson liquid painted onto the pads of my fingertips.

"You were my easiest conquest yet, so eager to please him that you gave up your soul so willingly, just to see him smile." Dorcha mocked me, sneering at my horrified expression. What have I done?

"Well I guess I should deliver my half of the bargain. Eternal youth, in exchange for a lifetime of slavery." He snapped his fingers, enveloping my wrists in chains made of red light. My eyes widened, trying to break them but they only became tighter the harder I pulled. The light burned into my skin, branding my wrist with a strange symbol.

"What?! You didn't say anything about being a slave!"

"Oops..it's in the fine print of your contract."  He chuckled, hovering off of the ground. I could now see the pair of black wings sticking out of his back. It was almost like a pair of bat wings, with a tough leathery exterior around them.

"What contract?" He snapped his fingers, instantly producing a scroll with a bunch of writing on it. The words were written in blood, my blood I'm guessing. 

"I never signed anything! You fucking tricked me!" 

"Your word is binding, but if you'd prefer I make this a little more formal, then so be it." He growled, lifting me up into the air without even touching me. My back slammed into the tree behind me, and in the blink of an eye he was pressed up against me. 

"I'll try not to enjoy this too much." He purred in my ear, licking his teeth before sinking them into my neck. I screamed, my vision blurring from the amount of pain coursing through my body. I could feel him pulling something out of me as my heart hammered against my chest. He pulled away, growling loudly as he dropped me onto the hard ground. I weakly looked up at him, my vision blurring and tunnelling as he pulled out what looked like a clear jar from his cloak. Inside it was a yellow light, bearing Tyler's features. He opened the jar, spitting something pink into the jar with it.  He closed it up tightly. Shaking it just to hear the captured souls cry out in pain. The pink light was mine, and it looked so afraid. I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, the lids becoming too heavy to keep open. As I blacked out, the heavy sound of rain on the roof of Jack's hut sounded in my ears, and I could feel his warm body pressed up against mine. Was I back in his bed? I couldn't tell. Darkness engulfed me as I sank down into unconsciousness, my mind greeted by the demonic laugh of Dorcha, keeper of my soul.


	12. Chapter 12

When I woke up, Jack was still cuddled up next to me, lazily playing with my hair. For a moment I forgot about what happened last night, but the more my body woke up, the more I noticed the empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was like I was just a shell of a person, unable to really feel anything.   
Jack sighed in content, running his fingertips up and down my arm. I could feel his touch, but the emotion I should have been feeling wasn't there. I felt nothing, and that scared me. Jack rolled on top of me, looking down at me with this look of pure admiration and love, but all I could feel was guilt. I would've been better off staying mortal, atleast I could still love him until my last breath, now I dont know what I feel. In my mind, I know I still love him, but the feeling just isn't there anymore, and it kills me. But now that I think of it, it makes perfect sense. Jack was my soul mate, but without my soul I can't love him like I should. Now I know why Tyler is so quiet, hardly speaking to anyone, even Ethan. He's a shell, just like I am. Jack pressed his lips against mine, obviously feeling rather playful this morning. He usually woke me up this way, and it was my absoulte favorite part of the morning. Spending time with him in an intimate embrace, tending to his needs while satisfying my desire to be closer to him. But while my mind was willing, my body wasn't. Jack stopped, pulling away from me once he noticed it too. His eyes looked concerned and a little disappointed, but he remained just as sweet as he always is, putting me before himself. I don't deserve him..

"What's wrong love? You look a bit sick."  
He ran his fingers down my cheek, kissing my forehead to see if I was feverish. I could see that my skin was paler, giving off a sickly hue to it. He rolled off of me, scanning my body with his eyes. I was nude, just like I was before I left last night. The cloak was still hanging up by the door and my clothes were neatly folded by the end of the bed. I could still hear the light tapping of the rain on the roof, filling the air with that musty scent of damp earth. 

"I'm gonna make ya some tea, you just stay put." He bent over, pushing my black hair out of my face before kissing me sweetly. My mind was crying out for him, begging my body to respond, but nothing happened. Jack pulled on his clothes, walking over to the fireplace to start the fire that would be burning the rest of the day. 

"Oh shite, I'll need alot more wood than this. I'm gonna head out for a minute love, just stay there and I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail." He winked at me, pulling on his cloak before heading out into the rain. As soon as I thought he was far enough away, I sat up, ripping the covers off of my sweaty body and screamed. It was strange, I could feel every emotion but love. I broke down, sobbing at the thought of losing him, spending an eternity feeling like a ghost, pretending I'm ok. Tyler seemed to pull it off, but he looked far less sick than I did. I have to talk to him, there must be a way to reverse this. I'll take a short life filled with love over this anyday. I was stupid for ignoring Jack's warning, he told me not to go in those woods, but I thought I knew better. I stood up, immediately collapsing on the floor from how light headed I felt. I forced myself up, slowly pulling on my clothes as I stumbled out the door.

"..Feeling light headed yet?.." 

I froze, the voice echoed around my head, but it seemed I would be the only one who could hear it. My heart hammered against my ribs as I stood up straight. My legs shook violently, threatening to send me back into the dirt. Everything was spinning, the trees seeming out of focus and blurry. I walked as far as I could, tripping over my own feet as I neared Tyler's hut. My body collided with the damp earth, knocking the wind out of me. I crawled, digging my hands into the mud as I pulled my limp body closer to the door. Tyler spotted me, frantically running out into the rain to pull me inside.   
"Mark what the hell happened?!" He panicked, brushing the dirt out of my face. He froze once he saw the bite mark on my neck. It was surprisingly faded, which is why Jack didn't notice it at first.

"You.." He began, his words falling short as he looked into my eyes. I didn't even have to say anything, my eyes gave it away.

"Tyler..help me.." I whispered, my voice light enough to be carried away with the wind. Tyler furrowed his brows, fighting back his own emotions as he sternly told me,

"You're beyond help..you belong to him now, just like me."


	13. Chapter 13

Tyler helped me up, setting me down on the mattress by the fire.  
"Why'd you do it?"  Tyler turned his back on me, mixing some odd colored concoction on the table in front of him. I sighed, the crippling guilt caving in on me as the thought of eternal loneliness consumed my mind.  
"The same reason you did, eternal youth."  
He chuckled, finding some dark humor in this terrible situation.  
"I did it because I loved Ethan, I would've done anything to prolong the time we had together. I know that's your reasoning as well, you and Jack are soul mates. I saw it the moment you two showed up at the gathering. His aura is green, bubbly and sweet, while yours was pink, gentle and mellow. You complemented each other, well you used to."   
He turned to me, handing me a cup. The pink liquid emitted a strange fog smelling faintly like strawberries.   
"Drink, it'll help mask the symptoms."

"Symptoms of what?" I sipped the mysterious liquid, immediately feeling warmth spread throughout my core. The empty feeling was still there, but it was less noticeable than before. This must be how he functions, walking around without a soul. Tyler leaned back against the table, giving me a stern expression.

"I'm not sure what Dorcha told you, but this isn't what it seems to be. You weren't given eternal youth, you were given a loveless existence, for all of eternity. This elixor helps manage the feelings to something a little more tolerable. It also helps your body to produce hormones associated with lust, it makes it easier on you to perform when required."  
He can't be referring to sex, that's cruel, even for a demon. I swallowed thickly, trying to wrap my brain around this nightmare I've put myself in.

"So without it I won't be able to-?"

"Nope, not even a little."

"Ah, fuck!" I squeezed my eyes shut, shattering the cup in my hand as the reality of the situation became too much. 

"Yeah that's what I said too. Also, Jack can never find out about this. Knowing Jack, he'd trade himself for you in a heartbeat. That's why I never told Ethan. It's better for me to suffer than for him to end up a part of Dorcha's harem."   
I never even thought about that, Dorcha seemed a little too interested in Jack when we met last night. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to him because of me. I've already sentenced him to a lifetime of false affection because of a stupid decision I made. But then again, I don't have to make him suffer. I could just leave and never return, it would be easier for the both of us if I disappeared, though I'm not sure I can leave him like that.  
"Come on, we have to get you cleaned up before Jack notices you're gone." He reached out for my hand, pulling me up from the mattress to stand on my feet.  
"I know what you're thinking Mark, but leaving won't help. Dorcha won't let you go, and if you somehow managed to escape, he'd go after Jack without a second thought."  What was left of my heart shattered, there was no way out of this. I was destined to walk around without a soul, enslaved by a malicious demon, and forced to do God knows what for all of eternity. I've never wanted to die more than I did now, the fact that Jack had to endure it too, made it all the more unbearable. Tyler helped clean me up, giving me a change of clothing and some kind of paste to make the bite on my neck almost invisible. I made the journey back to our hut, hating myself for being so stupid. When I reached the front door, Jack was already there. He was sitting on the mattress, looking down at a cup of tea in his hands.  
"Where'd ya go?" He asked, eyes remaining locked on the cup.  
"I just needed to get some fresh air, I'm sorry, I should've stayed put." I lied, my voice cracking from the guilt. He shook his head, smiling softly as a tear ran down his cheek.  
"Why do you feel the need ta lie ta me?"  
My heart stopped, he couldn't know already. This isn't happening right now.

"I wasnt lying Jack, I just went for a walk."

"Then why did Ethan tell me he saw ya with Tyler? I know something happened last night, and I was trusting you ta be honest with me about it, but I can see that's too much ta ask."  
He stood up, setting the cup on the table, the cloak next to him was covered in dirt and blood from last night, there was no way around it. But I still had to try and protect him, so I lied.

"What? Baby please just listen to me. I'm not lying, I wouldn't want to break your trust like that."

"Is that why you ran off last night? Coming back in the wee hours of the mornin' covered in dirt and blood?"

"You knew about that?" My voice was barely a whisper, this is a disaster, and it's all my fault.

"I'm disappointed that you didn't listen ta me. I'm not sure what you're hiding, but I'm gonna find out soon enough."


	14. Chapter 14

was awakened in the middle of the night, drenched in a cold sweat. I've been having terrible nightmares recently, most of which are filled with murder. Tyler said the dreams would come, along with an ear piercing ringing in your ears. I sat up, wiping the sweat from my brow as my heart slowed back down. I glanced over at the sleeping nymph next to me, his green hair was a mess, his features a portrait of serenity. Jack always seemed so calm while he slept, dreaming about a peaceful life that I could never give him. I leaned down, placing a soft kiss against his forehead, he smiled, muttering something in Gaelic as he rolled over. 

"How sweet." A disturbingly deep and familiar voice cooed. I turned my head towards the door, feeling my blood freeze in my veins at the sight before me. A dark shadow stood in the doorway, clutching Tyler's wrist tight enough to make him wince.  
"It's time to fulfill your end of the bargain, my little soul reaver." Dorcha held out his hand, beckoning me to come, though it was more of an order rather than a request. When I didn't move, he dragged me out of the bed and into his clutches without even touching me. He snapped his fingers, and in the blink of an eye we were outside of a small village, the only light provided by the fires lit inside the tiny houses. Everything looked so peaceful, for now. Dorcha released us, pointing his finger towards one house in particular. His eyes displayed a sinister agenda, one Tyler knew all too well. Tyler hung his head, reaching into his pocket for a sharp blade. My eyes widened, backing away until my back hit a tree.

"What?! No! I'm not killing anyone!"

Tyler kept his eyes low, but I could see the tears streaming down his face.  
"Mark, we don't have a choice. If we don't, he'll go after Ethan and Jack. We have to, I have to keep them safe." Tyler walked off towards the house, clutching the blade in his hand. He kicked the door open, I couldn't see what was happening, but I could hear the screams. Dorcha leaned his back against a tree, crossing his arms as he laughed. He got off on chaos, thriving on it's unpredictability. Tyler returned a few moments later, holding a bag in one hand and the blade in the other. The bag pulsed with different colored lights, releasing a blinding glow around the silk cloth. Tyler was drenched in blood, his eyes looking lifeless and dull as he tossed the bag to Dorcha.

"How many souls?" Dorcha asked, smirking at the horrified expression on our faces.

"Three. A husband, wife, and a son." Tyler choked out, his voice cracking as he sobbed. Dorcha nodded his head, opening the bag and swallowing the souls. His red eyes burned brighter as his skin glowed, smoothing out the wrinkles in his face. So that's what he's doing, he's using souls as a makeshift fountain of youth. Dorcha growled, turning his attention to me.

"Your turn. I saved a very special victim for you." I swallowed hard, following his gaze to a small house. Dorcha gripped onto my shoulder tightly, placing a sharpened blade made of stone in my hand. I felt like dying, I didnt want to go though with this, I couldn't take another's life, not like this. He pointed to the house, leaning forward to whisper in my ear.  
"If you don't do this for me, I'll make sure to torture Sèan nice and slow, and I'll use your body so you can watch the life drain from his eyes. Now, move your ass." His tone told me he wasn't bluffing, I had to protect Jack, no matter what. I slowly made my way up to the door, pushing it open as my hands trembled. As soon as I saw the victim, I knew why Dorcha wanted me to be the one to kill him. Sleeping soundly in his bed, was a young man who looked like he could've been Jack's twin. He had grayish brown hair and a bit less facial hair then Jack, but they looked almost too similar for this to be coincidence. Dorcha picked him because he knew it would kill me to have to do this. He wanted me to break, and this was the perfect way to do it. I stood in the doorway, frozen to the spot as I watched him stir, his eyes opened and I felt my heart break. His eyes were the same shade of blue, that endless ocean blue that I loved to drown in.   
I turned to leave, hoping he wouldnt see me, but it was too late. I heard him gasp and struggle to try and speak. When I turned back around, I broke down in tears. Dorcha was holding him close, grasping his neck tightly, pressing the poor man's back up against Dorcha's chest.  
"Stunning, isn't he?" He purred into the man's ear, relishing the strained whimpers that he tried to make. I dropped to my knees, unable to process what was happening.  
"What are you waiting for Mark, stick that blade into his heart and be done with it." Dorcha smiled, running his hand down the man's chest as he struggled. I couldn't move, all I could do was watch and cry. Dorcha's hand trailed lower, stopping just above the waistband of his pants.

"Either you make his death quick and painless or I get to see just how loudly he can scream before he dies, then I'll pay Sèan a visit. I bet he can scream very loud, I can almost hear him when you two are together."

Just the thought of him hurting Jack forced me to my feet. I held out the blade, slowly inching my way closer to them. His blue eyes were wide with fear, begging me to stop, but I couldn't. I needed to keep Jack safe, no matter the cost. Dorcha grinned, gripping the man's wrists together as he pinned them behind his back. I took a deep breath, pausing briefly before looking into his eyes. All I could see was Jack staring back at me and I felt like a monster. I choked back a sob, composing myself enough to make this as painless for him as I possibly could.

"I'm sorry Seàn."


	15. Chapter 15

watched the life drain from his eyes, and for a moment time stood still. His dull blue orbs locked on mine as he struggled to breathe. My hand was still holding the handle of the stone blade, the sharp rock piercing the man's heart. Dorcha gripped the man's chin, pulling his face up as he opened the man's mouth. His body turned limp as Dorcha sucked the man's soul out through his mouth. A blinding white light radiated out of his eyes and mouth as the last bit of life left him. Dorcha let the man's body fall to the ground in a heap, stepping over it to glare at me.  
"The next time you try and defy me, will be the last time you see Sèan alive. Your work load just doubled from your little act of defiance." He growled, gritting his sharp teeth as he gripped onto my neck. I nodded my head, not even trying to hide my distress. Dorcha dragged me back into the woods, shoving me into Tyler's chest as he gave us a sinister look.  
"I'll be requiring more frequent kills, you can thank Mark for that." Dorcha sneered, glaring at me as he disappeared with a snap of his fingers. Tyler pushed me off of him, turning to walk back to his home.   
"Tyler, wait!" I ran after him, not wanting to be alone. I just killed someone, I watched the life leave his eyes, and what's worse is that he reminded me so much of Jack. I'm a fucking monster. Tyler turned back around, his tired eyes glistening with tears.  
"Mark, this is the way things are now. You can't fight him, you'll only make things harder for the both of us. The sooner you understand that, the better off we'll be."

His voice was strained with sorrow, cracking as he tried to maintain some semblance of strenght. I grabbed his wrist, keeping him from leaving as he tried to pull away.

"But we can't just let him win, he's using us to murder innocent people so that he can stay young. Doesn't that bother you?!"

Tyler's eyes met mine, displaying raw anger and frustration. He ripped his wrist out of my grasp, harshly shoving me back against a tree.

"Of course it fucking bothers me! It tears me apart to know that I've caused the world so much pain and heartache, but Ethan is more important that those poor bastards out there! I'd gladly kill them all if it meant I could keep him safe from that fucking abomination stalking the woods! He has us both by the balls and there's not a damn thing either one of us can do about it. We chose to do this, we knew the risks and yet we did it anyways. This is our life now, get fucking used to it."

I stood my ground, gripping onto his arms that held me against the tree.

"I refuse to accept that this is the norm. I won't continue to kill innocent people for his benefit."

Tyler's face dropped, his expression melting into disappointment. He let me go, letting his arms fall loosely to his sides.

"Then you'll unleash his wrath upon the only innocent person that matters to you. You'll sentence Jack to a lifetime of abuse and slavery, and you'll be there to watch it all happen. It'll be your fault Mark, I hope you can live with that."

I felt my world crash down around me, Jack was the only thing I couldn't live without. He mattered more to me than anything or anyone else. It's disturbing to think that Tyler was so willing to do whatever it took to keep Ethan safe, even murder. But the thought of Jack becoming Dorcha's slave, of him spending the rest of his life being a demons toy, made me understand Tyler's motives better. We walked back toward the forest in silence, separating once we passed the spring outside of Jack's hut. I was still covered in blood, feeling sticky and disgusting the more it dried against my tan skin. I stripped off my stained clothing, jumping into the spring to wash my sins away. I don't know how long I was in there, I just know my body became too cold to feel anymore. I let myself sink down into the cold water, releasing all the air I held in my lungs. I was hoping I'd peacefully slip away, but my body was pulled out of the water by a frantic nymph with green hair. My vision was blurry, but I could feel the pain etched on his face as he dragged me out of the spring.  
"Mark, what the hell happened?!" Jack cradled my numb body, rubbing his hands over me to try and warm me up.  He held me close wiping the tears from my eyes as I cried.   
"Jack, I did something terrible." I whimpered, clutching onto his shirt that was now soaked. Jack didn't say anything, he just held me close to try and calm me down. I could still see that man's face, the terrified look in his eyes as I jammed that blade into his chest. I didn't even know his name and I took him from this world. He's dead and It's all my fault..


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Jack's POV*

The past few months have been difficult for us, Mark seems distant and cold, barely even able to look at me let alone touch me. I've noticed a strange pattern lately, every few weeks Mark would wait until he thinks I'm asleep, leave in the middle of the night, and come back soaking wet with blood underneath his nails. His eyes are lifeless and dull, as if the very life had been sucked out of him. The night I found him drowning in the spring, he said he did something terrible, but when I asked what it was, he shut down completely. He's been spending alot more time with Tyler, drawing Ethan's attention as well as the others. Right now were laying in bed, uncomfortably spaced apart. He whimpers when I try to touch him, like my hands are poison that's slowly killing him. It breaks my heart, seeing the love we made fade away so quickly. I rolled over, burying my face in the pillow as I pretended to fall asleep. Ethan was waiting for me outside, he followed Tyler the last time he snuck out, but was too afraid to go into the forest alone. A half hour passed before Mark checked to see if I was awake, he leaned over my body, sighing before placing a kiss on my cheek. It was simple, but when you've gone months without physical contact like that, it's the simple things that mean the most to you. I had to fight back the urge to grab him and hold him close. I yearned for his touch, his kiss, his body. But he couldn't give me those things without crying, so I stopped trying. Mark slipped out of bed, throwing on his cloak before leaving. Tyler was outside waiting for him, unaware that Ethan was following him closely. As they walked toward the treeline, I slipped out of bed and joined Ethan outside.   
"Do you know where there goin'?" I watched them walk into the forest, keeping myself and Ethan hidden from their view. Ethan frowned, kicking the dirt with his bare foot. 

"Last time they went near the forest, the same one we warned them about."

"Shite, you don't think they-?" I couldn't even finish what I was going to say, the though alone made me ill. 

"I hope not, but it would make sense as to the strange happenings goin on, yeah?" Ethan's eyes were so sad, he loved Tyler with all his heart, but if he was right, then it may be too late for them. We followed them into the forbidden forest, noticing how dark the atmosphere became once we stepped past the border. The environment was dimly lit, making it very hard to see where we were going. Soon the boys entered a clearing, the trees around them painted with what looked like blood. This was Dorcha's territory, a place where death reigned over everything he touched. No one that entered here ever came out alive, unless they made a bargain with him. Ethan and I hid behind the thick foliage, keeping quiet as a dark figure emerged. My breath hitched and I felt my heart stop dead in my chest. It was him, the very abomination we warned them about. Ethan had tears streaming down his face, quietly breaking down as the reality seeped in. Dorcha opened his cloak, taking out a jar that had two bright lights floating in it, one pink, the other yellow. Even from a distance you could see the features etched into the light. Those were souls, Mark and Tyler's souls to be exact. We were too late, and there was nothing I could do to save them. Dorcha set the jar down, teasing them with it. I could hear the souls crying out for us, my own chest feeling tighter as I resisted the urge to reveal myself. But something felt off, Dorcha was far too quiet. His red eyes scanned the treeline before stopping where we were hiding. A wicked smile spread across his face, forcing Mark and Tyler to turn around, trying to seeing what he was looking at.  
"I was wondering when you two would show up. Welcome to your new home, I guarantee you won't like it here." His deep voice spread around the forest, bouncing off of the trees. He raised his arms and before I even knew what was happening, we were being pulled out of the foilage and into the clearing. Ethan kicked and screamed, looking at Tyler with pleading eyes.   
"Eth! What are you doing here?!" Tyler stepped forward but stopped once Dorcha's hold around Ethan tightened, making him yelp. Mark's eyes were wide with fear as he looked at me, he was crying, unable to hold back his emotions anymore.  
"Oh, Sèan. I've missed you. I was wondering when my little nymph would come wondering into my forest." Dorcha dragged me across the dirt, right into his arms.   
"Mark! Please help me!" Dorcha chuckled, snapping his fingers to reveal the bright red chains shackled around Mark's wrists and ankles. The weight of them brought Mark down to his knees, only able to move his neck from how tightly they held him. Dorcha gave him a challenging look, daring him to try and make a move. 

"You really are quite beautiful Sèan, oh the things I could do to you." Dorcha cooed in his sickly sweet tone. I reeled back, spitting in his face as he leaned down to try and kiss me. It seemed to have the opposite effect of what I intended. He grinned, grabbing the back of my hair and smashed his lips against mine. I screamed against his mouth, thrashing in his arms as Mark watched. He tried to force his tongue inside my mouth, but I kept my lips tightly shut, denying him satisfaction. That is until the hand that was in my hair tugged hard enough to make me scream, as soon as my lips parted, he shoved his tongue in, claiming me as his own for all to see. Mark hung his head, quietly sobbing as he tried not to watch. Tyler was frozen to the spot, keeping his eyes on Ethan, who was suspended in mid air, surrounded by a dark energy that looked as if it was draining the life from him. Dorcha pulled back, licking his lips.  
"Now that you're here, I'm going to consume his soul, would you like that Sèan?" All I could hear was the wailing of Mark's soul, my own crying out for me to do something to stop it. As soon as his soul was gone, Mark would die. I had to think of something and fast. Dorcha dropped me, turning to grab the jar. I couldn't move, but the moment my eyes locked on Mark's, I knew what had to be done. 

"Wait..Take me instead.."


	17. Chapter 17

Wait..take me instead.." I struggled to get the words out, speaking in such a hushed tone that I was afraid Dorcha wouldn't hear me. But to my surprise, everyone did. Dorcha turned to face me, kneeling down to cup my chin in his rough hand.   
"Are you offering me your soul, little nymph?" I shook my head, looking into his red eyes the bore straight through me.

"I'm offering my youth, my eternal life in exchange for their souls. My life for theirs." 

Mark thrashed against the heavy chains, his sobs growing louder as he pleaded with me. I kept my eyes on Dorcha, afraid my resolve would weaken if I looked at Mark's face.  
"Jack, No! What are you doing?!" Mark's voice cracked with sorrow, I could hear his heart breaking, but this needed to be done, it's the only way to save them. Dorcha cocked his head to the side, smirking as he witnessed the misery etched on my face.

"You would give up your life for them?"   
I nodded my head without hesitation, I loved Mark too much to watch him die like that. My life for his, that's the way it had to be.  
"Yes, just please let them go. You won't need to collect souls from another person if I give this to you. Take it, please."

"Jack..please don't do this." Mark begged me again, trying to break the chains that bound him, even though he knew he couldn't. I kept my eyes on Dorcha, extending my hand for him to shake.

"Do we have a deal, Dorcha?"  
He pursed his lips, looking like he was considering my offer. It would be easy for him to accept, he could live forever young, Mark and Tyler would be free, everyone wins, except for me. Dorcha smiled wickedly, grabbing my hand tightly as he snapped his fingers, releasing Mark, Tyler, and Ethan from his hold.  
"We do.."  
Ethan fell as soon as the deal was made, landing in Tyler's arms as he held his blue bird close. The jar on the ground broke open, releasing their captured souls into the air as they merged back into their bodies. They were safe and that's all that mattered. Mark scrambled to his feet, reaching out for me as Dorcha wrapped me up tightly against him.   
"Sèan!"  
Dorcha snapped his fingers again, creating a barrier of energy around us that Mark couldn't break through.   
"Mark, just go! Take them with you, please!"    
Mark banged his fists against the thick wall of energy around us, tears spilling from his eyes.  
"Im not leaving you!"

"You have to, please just go..I don't want you to see this.."  
Our eyes locked, and for a moment time stood still. I wanted him to remember me how I was, not like this. 

"Sèan..I love you."

"I love you too, Mark. Savin' ya was the best decision I ever made, and that's why I'm doing it again. Take them ta safety, and if I don't come back, I want ya ta move on. Go back to England, find someone that'll make ya happy. Maybe we'll meet again in another life, we are soul mates after all."

"Baby..I won't ever forget you." Mark pressed himself up against the surface, his expression looking so broken.

"If you love me, you will."  
Dorcha sighed, having had enough of the sappy goodbyes. He turned his head toward Mark and Tyler, speaking in a tone that reflected just how dull he found all this to be.  
"The deal is broken boys, you may return to your life of mediocrity. Of course this means you lose your immortality, even you Ethan."

He snapped his fingers and in an instant they were gone, leaving us alone in the middle of the forest. I could hear Mark wailing from outside the forest, and all I wanted to do was comfort him, but I couldn't. Dorcha turned his head back towards me, grinning as he kissed up my neck.  
"Are you ready, my love?"  
I hated the feeling of his cold lips against my skin, I fought back the urge to struggle, I just wanted to get this over with. The sooner I left this life, the sooner I could meet Mark again. I swallowed hard, feeling his sharp teeth graze my throat.

"Just do it, take what you want from me."

"Gladly." The next thing I felt was a hot searing pain rip through my neck, then the warmth leave my body as he sucked the life out of me. As my mind became foggy, I remembered the conversation I had with Mark that night in the cave. We had just made love for the first time, he was laying on his back, my head resting on his chest.

"Do you believe in reincarnation?" I said, the random thought breaking the comfortable silence between us. Mark chuckled, running his hand up and down my back as he pressed me closer to him.

"Im not sure, I've never really thought about it."

"I'd like ta think that we come back in a new body, but our souls remain the same. Do ya think we could ever find each other again in another life?"

Mark paused for a second, kissing the top of my head before responding to my odd question.

"I think there isn't a single thing that could keep our souls from finding each other again. A love like this is special, it can do whatever we want it to, even if we're separated by an ocean or two. I would search the ends of the earth just to find you again."

His words echoed inside my mind, giving me a sense of peace as my vision faded. The last thing I heard was Mark's voice in my head, repeating the last thing he said to me that night. I would search the ends of the earth just to find you again. My hearing faded, and soon everything went black as my body went limp, releasing my soul into the atmosphere. I never did come out of that forest, but I watched over Mark for awhile after that. It took a few months until he was able to find a ship back to England, all the while I stayed close, wishing I could touch him, kiss him, but I couldn't.

Mark stood on the deck of the ship, letting the wind blow through his hair as they left the shores of Ireland. I couldn't go, I had to stay here. But I knew that when the time was right, we would find each other again, somehow. My fingers brushed against his cheek, and for a brief moment I could feel his skin against mine. He gasped, reaching up to touch his face as another sailor walked up beside him. And just like that I was gone, drifting away with the wind, awaiting the moment we could finally be together again.

"Did you feel that?"  Mark breathed, tears welling up in his eyes. 

"Feel what?" The sailor looked confused, staring at Mark like he had gone mad. Mark hung his head, the feeling gone just as quickly as it came.

"Nothing."


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Mark's POV*

"Hello everybody, my name is Markiplier and welcome back to the forest with Jacksepticeye, say hi Jack." I waved to my camera, smiling as I waited for Jack to say something.

"Hi Jack, everybody." Jack giggled, making another lame joke as always. His laugh made my heart flutter in my chest, and even though I couldn't see him, I was imagining his breathtaking smile in my mind. Jack and I met about eight months ago, I was looking at random videos on YouTube and stumbled across his channel by accident. I'm not sure why, but the moment I heard his voice I felt a strange sensation in my chest, almost like fireworks. I watched a few of his videos, finding myself entranced by his Irish accent. It wasn't until I actually saw his face that I felt the overwhelming urge to contact him. A few tweets later we were setting up a date to collaborate together, and I don't know why, but I was overly excited about it. Which brings me to the moment I'm at now, playing The Forest with him just so I could hear his voice again. It's familiar and I know I never knew him before that day we met on Twitter, but I feel like I've known him all my life. He's compassionate, sweet, easy on the eyes, and his voice is sometimes the only thing that can soothe me. I find myself day dreaming about him, making up a life that I know will only exist in my mind. But the dreams I have about him are the strangest thing by far. Jack was a nymph, with green hair and the same bubbly personality that he has now. I was a sailor, saved by him when my ship sank off the coast of Ireland. Every night since I met him I've had these dreams, and everyday I find myself falling for him more. 

"Mark, you ok? You haven't said anything since the recording ended. I thought you wanted to talk to me about something."

I shook myself out of my thoughts, focusing on his gorgeous face that was now filling up my computer screen as we Skyped.

"Yeah s-sorry, just thinking about stupid shit. Anyways, are you still coming out tomorrow to see me?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss the chance to meet the famous Markiplier." He giggled, his blue eyes shining with excitement. I chuckled at how adorable he looked, and I felt the need to reach out and touch him, but thats kinda hard to do when you're 5,000 miles away. I smiled, pushing the feeling aside as we continued our conversation.

"You're famous too ya know." I winked at him, watching his face turn pink as he blushed. The call ended sooner than I wanted it to, I could spend hours just talking to him, but with the time zone difference it makes it a little hard to do. As the sun came up the next morning, I headed out to L.A.X to pick Jack up. He would be spending a few days with me so we could get to know each other better and actually meet in person. Don't get me wrong, skyping is great, but it only does so much for a growing relationship. As soon as I saw him, the only thing I wanted to do was hold him. It was like I hadn't seen him in years, and this was a reunion of some type. He walked over towards me, bouncing happily as we finally met. There was a split second of hesitation in his eyes before he leaped forward and wrapped his arms around me, enveloping me in a tight hug. I could literally feel my chest tighten, like I was about to cry. His touch felt like home, it felt..right. He pulled back, having the same expression I did as we locked eyes. Oh God, why do I wanna kiss him so badly? Reluctantly, I stepped back, walking towards the entrance and out to my car. Jack followed behind me, chewing on his bottom lip. He looked extremely nervous to be next to me, keeping silent as we drove to my house. As we made our way into my living room, he broke the silence with a question I wasn't ready for.

"So this might sound weird, but do you believe in reincarnation?" He rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the floor as I answered without even thinking.

"I'm not sure. I never really thought about it. Why?"

"I'd like ta think that we come back in a new body, but our souls remain the same."  
The way he said that, his tone, his inflection, It was all so familiar to me. Where have I heard that before? My mind began playing part of my dream in my head, Jack and I were in a cave for some reason, laying with each other as we talked. I could hear his voice in my head, and right then I knew it couldn't have been coincidence.  
"Do ya think we could ever find each other again in another life?" His sweet voice asked me, laying his head against my chest. I could feel my lips press against the top of his head before I said,  
"I think there isn't a single thing that could keep our souls from finding each other again. A love like this is special, it can do whatever we want it to, even if we're separated by an ocean or two. I would search the ends of the earth just to find you again."  
My eyes shut, taking in the answers the dream provided. I didn't even realize I was crying until I felt his fingers brushing away my tears. My eyes opened, staring at the small Irishman in front of me.  
"Jack..have you been having strange dreams?"

"Like what?" He breathed, but somehow he already knew what I was talking about.

"Like another life entirely, I've had them every night since I met you."  I saw the realization flash in his stunning eyes, and just then everything came flooding back to me. The ship wreak, the gathering, the cave where we made love, and the demon that killed him. We were mere inches apart, our fingers intertwined as we stepped closer.

"We were in love once, a long time ago. I know it sounds strange and creepy but I'm not sure if it was ever real or if I'm just losing my mind." 

"You're not losing your mind, because I've had them too. What happened to us?"

"I don't know, but I feel like I've known you all my life, that can't be coincidence." He closed his eyes, saying something that blew me away.

"I would search the ends of the earth just to find you again.."  His hands were now cupping my face, his forehead resting against mine. 

"What did you say?" I whispered, feeling his breath ghosting against my lips.

"That's what you told me, that night in the cave. Do you remember?" His eyes opened, and the man that I was holding in my arms was Sèan, the flower nymph that stole my heart all those years ago. I broke down, not even trying to hide how much this was effecting me. I finally found him, he was real.

"Oh my God..It was real. I found you.."  
Sèan giggled, wrapping his arms around my neck as we looked into each others eyes.  
"And I found you. Even though there was an ocean between us, and a few hundred years worth of searching, we found each other."  
I leaned down, connecting our lips in a kiss that felt a few hundred years overdue. This was real, he was real, and I was never going to let him go. Never again. But if that life was real, wouldn't that mean the demon is real too?


End file.
